Protective cover for bathtubs



Oct. 9, 1928. 1,686,560

J. M. HOWLETT PROTECTIVE COVER FOR BATHTU B S Filed May 1928 Patented 0a. 9, 1928.

JAMES M. HOWLETT, OF GARY, INDIANA.

PROTECTIVE COVER FOR BATHTUBS.

Application filed May 1,

This invention relates to protective covers for bath tubs and has reference more particularly to that type of covering used in connection with built-in bath tubs for the purpose of protecting the surface of these bath tubs against injury during building operations, such as plastering and painting.

In United States Patent No. 1,579,530, granted to me on April 6, 1926, a bath tub cover of this general class has been shown and described.

This invention relates to improvements in the type of protective covers shown and described in the above identified patent. It is the object of this invention to produce a bath tub cover of such design that it can be readily out from paper or other suitable material into such a shape that it can be quickly and easily applied to the bath tub so as to completely cover the exposed finished surfaces thereof.

In order to clearly describe this inven tion so that it can be readily understood, reference will now be had to the accompanying drawing in which the preferred construction has been illustrated and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view looking down into a bath tub to which my protective covering has been applied;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an end por- %ion of this covering taken on line 2-2,

Fig. 3 is a plan View to a somewhat smaller scale of a part of the device which is emplijyed for protecting the end of the bath tu Fig. 4 is a View showing the shape of the paper after it has been cut and lying in a plane, a slightly modified construction being indicated by dot and dash lines;

Fig. 5 shows a covering divided transversely into two parts for the purpose of fitting tubs of different lengths;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of an apron: and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 5, but showing the covering divided longitudinally into two identical portions.

The bath tubs to which this covering is intended to be applied are of the type that are built into a recess in the wall of a bath ering the interior of the tub,

1928. Serial No. 274,205.

room and which must,'therefore, be ut in place before the room is plastere and palnted. These tubs are usually of two different types, one of which has both ends n contact with the end walls of the recess n which it is located, while the other type is placed into a corner of the bath room and has the front corner at the opposite end rounded in the manner shown in Fig. 1. The interior of these bath tubs are, however, of substantially the same shape and size. The foot of the bat-h tub has its end surface inclined at a considerable angle. while the head of the bath tub, where the water connections are made, is, as a rule, provided with a vertical inner surface. For the pur ose of covprovide a large piece of paper, or of other suitable covering material which has covered, end portions 1 and 2, whose edges are cut by short inward cuts like those indicated by numeral 3. The distance from one of these curved portions to the other is substantially the length of the bottom of the tub, so that when the covering is put in place, the curved ends 3 will be practically at the ends of the bottom. In order to provide a covering for the ends, the paper or other covering is provided with two projections 4 at each end. The under edges 5 of the projecting portions 4 are separated at their inner ends from the main portion of the covering by means of curved cuts 6 so that they may be raised up onto the upper surface of the bottom portion 7 and thereby permit the sides 8 to be bent upwardly along the inner surface of the sides of the bath tub in the manner shown in Fig. 1. After the sides have been thus upwardly bent, substantially along lines 9, Fig. 4. the edges 5 of the projections 4: will overlap the curved ends of the bottom 7 and the ends of the projections 4 will overlap each other, all as shown in Fig. 1. The covering will now assume a shape which corresponds very closely to that of the tub and is held in place by a prepared glue which is supplied to the surface of the tub. The upper side edges of the tub are protected by means of the part- 10 that is bent outwardly along line 11 and is secured to the upper edge of the tub by cement in the manner explained.

The front of the tub must be protected along its entire height and for this purpose instead of providing merely a narrow strip 10 that will cover the top of the tub, an apron 12 has been provided whose width is sufiicient to reach to the bottom of the tub. In passing over the front side of the tub, the covering is bent along line 13 and that portion marked 14 lies on top of the upper edge of the tub and another downward bend is then formed in the paper along lines 15, so as to cause the apron to extend vertically as above intimated.

In order to make it possible to have the apron fit snugly against tubs whose ends are curved, the outer ends of the apronare separated from the main body of the covering along lines 16 and the upper edge of the apron is then provided with a pluarlity of cuts 17 which permit the upper edge to be bent over onto the upper surface of the tub in the manner shown in Fig. 1. Where the covering is applied to a tub, both of whose ends are in contact with the walls of the recess, the apron is of the length indicated by full lines in Fig. 4, but when it is to be used in connection with tubs l ke that shown in Fig. 1, one end of the apron projects out farther than the other as indicated by dot and dashlines. It is possible to construct thecoverin with the apron elongated as shown in Fig. 7 and then if the covering is used with the ordinary recess tub, the surplus length of the apron can be cut off, while if a tub like that shown in Fig. 1 is to be protected, it is left in place.

It is apparent that for large tubs, it might be diflicult to secure a single piece of covering material of sufficient size to form the cover. For the purpose of making it possible to use smaller pieces of material I have shown in Fig. 5 how the cover can be divided by means of a transverse cut so as to 1 form two identical sections that can be applied in substantially the same manner as described in connection with Fig. 4 and which are ofsuch width thatthe will be suitable for the longest tubs to w ich they are to be attached, and when'used in connection with shorter tubs, the adjacent edges 18 can be overlapped to whatever extent is found to be necessary. In this manner, only a single size of covering isnecessary, and as both of the pieces are of the same shape and size, it is obvious that only a single die will be necessary for their manufacture in case they are cut by dies and therefore the manufacture is cheapened and greatly simplified.

In Fig. 7 I have shown the covering divided by longitudinal lines 19, so that the two parts are identical and can be independently applied. It is evident that with the arrangement shown in Fig. 7, various lengths of bath tubs can be accommodated In order to make it possible to accommodate tube of different widths as well as of different lengths, the covering can be cut into four pieces in the manner indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 5 and 7. The separate parts will still be of identical size and shape and can be readily applied and will, as above intimated, be adapted to be used with any and all standard sizes of bath tubs.

Where the covering is formed in the manner shown in Figs. 5 and 7 the apron 12 can not be formed integral, but is made of a separate piece like that shown in Fig. 6. These aprons can all be manufactured of exactly the same size and they can be attached to the covering after the latter has been applied to the tub, thereby simplifying the handling of the covering toa great extent.

For the purpose of covering the upper portion of the ends of the tub, I have jury due to carelessness of the workmen during the construction of the building. As these coverings can be made of comparatively small pieces'and since the pieces from which they are constructed can be of identical size and shape, the manufacture is greatly simplified and cheapened.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A protective covering for bath tubs comprising a flexible member having a bottom portion provided with oppositely curved ends and side portions extending from the sides of the bottom portion, said side portions having projecting portions adapted to form a covering for the ends of the tub.

2. A protective covering for bath tubs, comprising a flexible member having a bottom portion provided with oppositely curved ends and side portions extending from the sides of the bottom portion, said side portions having their ends projecting beyond the point where the sides are connected with the bottom, said projecting ends being adapted to form a protective covering for the ends of the tub.

III

3. A protective covering for bath tubs, 1

portions having their ends projecting beyond the point where the sides are connected with the bottom, said projecting ends being adapted to form a protective covering for 5 the ends of the tub and extensions along the upper ends of the sides for covering the upper surface of the tub.

4. A protective covering. for bath tubs, comprising a flexible member having a bot- 10 tom portion provided with oppositely curved ends, side portions extending from the sides of the bottom portion, said side portions having their ends projecting beyond the point where the sides are connected with the bottom, said projecting ends being adapted to form a protective covering for the ends of the tub, extensions along the upper ends of the sides for covering the upper surface of the'tub and means for covering the upper surface of the ends of the tub.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES M. HOWLETT. 

